https://bellaviecandles.com/blogs/news.atomBella Vie Candles - News2017-08-06T10:33:00-07:00Bella Vie Candleshttps://bellaviecandles.com/blogs/news/bella-vie-has-a-new-look-and-mission2017-08-06T10:33:00-07:002017-08-06T10:33:57-07:00Bella Vie has A New Look and MissionShanon Warfield
Bella Vie Candles Has a New Look, and Mission

Bella Vie Candles, maker of high-quality hand poured soy-based candles, has improved their branding. Based on a professional marketing assessment, including customer feedback, we are clarifying our brand and aligning it more with our company values. By changing from a picture of a bee (no we don't make bees-wax candles!) and choosing a butterfly symbol we are aspiring to communicate Beauty, Hope, and Self-love.

With our values in mind we are proud to also announce that we will be giving-back to the San Diego Monarch School, by donating a part of each of your sales. The monarch school is a nonprofit that engages the homeless youth in order to ensure they have the same educational opportunities as everyone else.]]>
https://bellaviecandles.com/blogs/news/life-is-beautiful-and-why-i-make-candles2017-07-07T19:02:00-07:002017-07-07T19:02:27-07:00Life is Beautiful and Why I Make Candles...Shanon Warfield
My name is Shanon Valles Warfield, a mother of three and a third-generation San Diegian. In 2014 I started my candle business after supporting my youngest child through his first year of high school - time to cut the preverbal umbilical cord, and give birth to Bella Vie Candles!

Frustrated Candle Buyer

As a frustrated candle buyer I started experimenting with making my own candles and perfected the art of wicks, wax, and custom blended scents for my own use. Why pay too much for a candle that doesn't burn correctly and the scent doesn't last??? I was randomly invited to participate in a farmers market in North Park before I even had even decided to start my business. With a short deadline of two weeks to pull together my branding, labeling, packaging, insurance, etc. - I went for it! The response to my candles and unique scents went surprising well at the market, and the rest as they say is history.

Long-line of Artisans and Innovators

Before starting a candle business I considered returning to college to complete my degree in nutrition at San Diego State, but that wasn't my first choice. Inspired by a long-line of artisans and innovators in my family I decided to follow my passion.

I've been inspired by everything from my grandmothers passion for roses and painting beautiful local landscapes, to my great-aunt and uncle Jack and Ella Marie Wooley who were local San Diego renowned artists.

My family tree consists of a who's-who list of risk-takers and innovators such as third-cousin David Packard (Hewlett Packard), and even William H. Seward who was responsible the Louisiana Purchase - aka "Seward's Folly," before the world realized his genius. More recently my San Diego history consists of my great grandfather starting a printing business in 1936 after buying San Diego's first 4-color Heidelberg printing press. During the 1936 California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park, my uncle took out a loan to buy the floor model on display at the Exposition. After buying the breakthrough printing technology of the time, he started a thriving business lasting more than 50 years.

Staying Inspired

I continue to stay inspired by talking to my customers about their love of candles. My recent passion is in Essential oils in Candles, and applications for the oils by themselves. I love their organic and all natural essence and the way that their biology is clearly meant to work with our bodies to optimize our health. Stay tuned for my next blog post where I delve more into how I got started with Essential oils. It's another serendipitous moment of a beautiful life...

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https://bellaviecandles.com/blogs/news/164659911-spring-is-here-in-san-diego-in-with-the-new2016-05-08T13:10:00-07:002016-05-08T13:25:40-07:00Spring Is Here in San Diego - In With The NewShanon Warfield

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I've been busy updating my product labels, signage, product photos, and website. I've collaborated with Mathew Moran Photography to create an upscale look. I've moved away from my original yellow labels in favor of new black labels. All of these changes are being done: A) - because it's time for an update; and B) because I'm preparing to attend the ASD Market Week in Las Vegas, July 31st - August 3rd.

If you have any questions regarding wholesale, custom orders, or private labeling please contact me. And please let me know what you think about the new product look.

Filled with the gratitude of the season I would like to offer a free Winter's Night scented candle in return for your love and support of Bella Vie Candles. Share my promotion + Like my FB page, and stop by your favorite farmers market to pick up your free Winter's Night candle. Or share + Like my FB page, and mention this promotion with any on-line order.

Shanon Warfield - The Candle Lady

Is there a moment quite as keen

Or memory as bright

As light, and fire and music

To warm the Winter's Night?

-Adam Christianson

{click graphic to see promotion on Facebook}

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https://bellaviecandles.com/blogs/news/54706113-its-starting-to-smell-a-lot-like-christmas-and-thanksgiving2015-11-05T16:15:00-08:002015-11-05T18:49:55-08:00It's Starting to Smell a Lot Like Christmas, and Thanksgiving!Shanon Warfield
Here's an entire list of hand made soy candles that will add just the right holiday charm for your or a lucky friends home:

Pumpkin Brûlée** - Pumpkin spice, and vanilla

Winters Night** - A perfect combination of Pomegranate, pine, cloves, cinnamon, orange with a hint of vanilla and amber

Capri**- best seller a custom blended sugared citrus.with a little bit of coconut and lime.

Harmony** - Mango, Papaya, coconut and pineapple.

Black Amber- Cloves, and sandalwood

Lavender Verbena**- Lavender, and lemon verbena

Oak Moss and Amber- Very popular

San Diego** - Popular scent with locals and tourists. Surf and sand, ocean, and little jasmine

Garden Splash** - Honeysuckle, jasmine, and gardenia.

Champagne and Ginger** - Champagne, Ginger

Tomato Basil**- Tomato, basil, and eucalyptus essential oil

Lavender Patchouli - Scents of Lavender, and Patchouli

White Nectarine**- Satsuma, grapefruit, and mango

**Custom Blended Sent

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https://bellaviecandles.com/blogs/news/39075905-history-of-candlemaking2015-08-12T20:02:00-07:002015-08-12T20:02:59-07:00History of CandlemakingShanon Warfield
Candles have been illuminating the celebrations of humans for more than 5,000 years. The first candles were developed by the Egyptians who used the pithy core of reeds soaked in animal fat.

Historians have found evidence that many other early civilizations developed wicked candles using wax made from available plants and insects. Romans are generally credited with developing the first wicked candle by dipping rolled papyrus in melted tallow or beeswax. Chinese candles at this time are said to have been molded in paper tubes, using wax made from indigenous insects and seeds while rolled rice paper was used for the wick. In Japan, candles were made of wax extracted from tree nuts, while in India, wax was made by boiling cinnamon tree fruit.

In the Middle Ages candle making underwent significant progress. Most Medieval Western cultures relied primarily on candles rendered from animal fat. A major improvement came in the Middle Ages, when beeswax candles were introduced to Europe. Unlike animal-based tallow, beeswax burned cleanly, without producing a smoky flame. It also emitted a pleasant sweet smell rather than the foul, acrid odor of tallow. Beeswax candles were widely used for church ceremonies, but because they were expensive, few individuals other than the wealthy could afford to burn them at home. The making of candles became a guild craft by the 13th century. The candlemakers (chandlers) went from house to house, making candles from kitchen fats saved for this purpose, or made and sold their own candles from small candle shops.

From 1700s to the present, technology advanced significantly and candles tracked this advancement. In the 1700s women boiled Bayberry bushes, resulting in a sweet smelling wax that burned cleanly. However, this method soon went out of fashion because it was very tedious. In the 1800s the rise of the whaling industry brought major change to candles. A wax obtained by crystallizing sperm whale oil called Spermaceti, became available in quantity. Like beeswax, spermaceti wax did not elicit a repugnant odor when burned, and produced a significantly brighter light. In the 1900s 2 large advancements were made; paraffin wax and Stearic acid. Stearic acid is refined fatty acids from animals. Paraffin wax was invented in the 1850s; when chemists learned how to separate and refine petroleum. In 1879 the light bulb was invented and candles began a large decline in usage.

Although no longer a major source of light, they remain popular today. In todays culture, candles symbolize celebration, mark romance, soothe the senses, define ceremony, and accent home decors — casting a warm and lovely glow for all to enjoy.

My most asked questions during the farmers market is: What kind of wax do I use?

"Most people know that soy wax is better,

but they just don't know why"

What is soy wax? Soy wax a vegetable wax made from the oil of soybeans. After harvesting, the beans are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and rolled into flakes. The oil is then extracted from the flakes and hydrogenated.This process dramatically alters the melting point of the oil, making it a solid at room temperature. The leftover bean husks are commonly used as animal feed. A vast amount of the soy is grown in the United States.

The benefits of Soy are:

Soy is completely renewable -the only limit is how much the farmers chose to grow.

Its a biodegradable

Because it's an all natural product - it burns at a cooler temperature and more evenly.

Leaves no black soot on your walls- that black soot is called petro carbons . Oil based waxes such as paraffin contains 11 documented toxins 2 of which cause cancer according to the American lung Association.